Plastic bottles, soundboxes barred as tourist shipping resumes after long uncertainty
After months of uncertainty and regulatory complications, tourist ship services on the Cox’s Bazar-Saint Martin’s route resumed on Thursday, with more than 800 tourists travelling on the first vessel of the season.
The first ship, MV Baro Aulia, left the BIWTA jetty at Nuniachara in Cox’s Bazar town for Saint Martin’s around 7:30am.
The resumption of the service brought excitement among tourists who had been waiting for the island to reopen. However, some passengers complained about higher ticket prices and alleged harassment on the first day.
Tourists began arriving at the Nuniachhara jetty from around 6:00am. Officials and personnel from the district administration, the Department of Environment, BIWTA, and the Coast Guard were deployed at the terminal to enforce the government’s environmental guidelines.
Single-use plastic bottles, polythene bags and soundboxes carried by tourists were not allowed on the ships. The Coast Guard also conducted awareness announcements urging tourists to follow environmental rules.
Hossain Islam Bahadur, general secretary of the Sea Cruise Operators Owners Association of Bangladesh (SCOAB), said that more than 800 passengers travelled on the first ship.
“This is the first ship of the season carrying more than 800 passengers. The service has resumed after a long period of uncertainty,” he said.
Department of Environment Cox’s Bazar deputy director Khandakar Mahmud Pasha said tourists must follow the government’s guidelines to protect the island’s environment and biodiversity.
“Entry into the keya forest, visits to Chhera Dwip, organising parties and creating loud noise are prohibited. Activities harmful to marine biodiversity are also prohibited,” he said.
He said officials had made arrangements at the jetty for tourists to leave behind single-use plastic bottles and other prohibited items. Several soundboxes were also taken from tourists and kept with the ship operators.
Tourism Cell executive magistrate Mahmudur Rahman Sayem said around 800 tickets had been sold for the first day, accounting for roughly one-fourth of the vessel’s total capacity.
Tourists were informed about the restrictions on carrying plastic and soundboxes and other government measures for protecting the island’s environment, he said.
Popy Sabrin Jessy, who was travelling to Saint Martin’s for the first time, expressed excitement about the trip.
“I could not visit Saint Martin’s earlier because of the situation in Myanmar. This is my first visit, and being able to go on the first day of the season makes it even more exciting,” she said.
However, some tourists complained about the higher ticket prices.
Hridoy, a tourist from Dhaka, said he had faced difficulties despite purchasing his ticket online.
“The lowest ticket price this time is Tk4,200, compared with Tk3,500 previously. That means an increase of Tk700 per ticket. We are disappointed with the added cost and the difficulties we faced,” he said.
Assistant Professor Dr SM Mozammel Hossain of Cumilla Government Women’s College welcomed the government’s environmental restrictions.
“Saint Martin’s is an ecologically important island. Tourists and all other stakeholders should act responsibly to ensure the government’s measures to protect its biodiversity and natural environment are properly implemented,” he said.
According to SCOAB, three vessels have received permission to operate on the Saint Martin’s route this season — MV Bar Aulia, MV Karnaphuli and MV Teknaf.
The three vessels have a combined passenger capacity of 2,298. MV Bar Aulia can carry 850 passengers, MV Karnaphuli 732, and MV Teknaf 716.
Under the approved schedule, MV Bar Aulia, MV Karnaphuli, and MV Teknaf are scheduled to leave Nuniachhara at 7:00am, 7:15am, and 8:15am, respectively. On return, they are scheduled to leave Saint Martin’s at 2:30pm, 2:15pm and 3:30pm respectively.
Under the government’s decision, Saint Martin’s has remained open to tourists from November 1 to March 15. During this period, tourists can visit the island, and up to 3,500 tourists can stay overnight.
Each tourist must pay a Tk100 environmental conservation fee, while a travel pass and QR-coded ticket are mandatory. The daily number of tourists travelling to the island is capped at 3,500.
Several restrictions remain in place to protect the island’s environment and biodiversity. Lighting beaches and surrounding areas at night, creating loud noise and organising barbecue parties are prohibited.
Keya forests are off-limits, along with the collection or sale of keya fruit and any activities that may harm marine turtles, birds, coral, snails, oysters, starfish, king crabs, seagrass, algae, and other biodiversity.
Tourism operators hope the resumption of ship services after months of uncertainty will restore activity to Saint Martin’s during the tourism season.
By Abdu Rashid Manik
Photo: Abdu Rashid Manik
